Ben Affleck has officially announced that he will no longer be serving as the director of his own upcoming film, The Batman.

The Batman is the superhero’s standalone film that stars Affleck as the Dark Knight. According to a statement, the actor would rather focus his energy on playing the character than directing the film. “There are certain characters who hold a special place in the hearts of millions,” said Affleck in a report published by The Hollywood Reporter.

“Performing this role demands focus, passion and the very best performance I can give. It has become clear that I cannot do both jobs to the level they require.”

Affleck first took on the role of Batman in last year’s Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice. The actor was also seen in Suicide Squad as Bruce Wayne (aka Batman) and will be appearing in a string of future Justice League films.

The last standalone Batman film – The Dark Knight Rises – was released in 2012 and starred Christian Bale as the Caped Crusader.

“Together with the studio, I have decided to find a partner in a director who will collaborate with me on this massive film,” Affleck said in the published statement. “I am still in this, and we are making it, but we are currently looking for a director. I remain extremely committed to this project, and look forward to bringing this to life for fans around the world.”

Warner Bros, the studio responsible for all DC Comics films, added, “Warner Bros fully supports Ben Affleck’s decision and remains committed to working with him to bring a standalone Batman picture to life.”

Currently, not much is known of The Batman‘s storyline and no release date has been announced either. However, it appears that actor Joe Manganiello will be playing the villain Deathstroke in the film.

Despite reports, Lady Gaga will not be playing Donatella Versace in the upcoming third season of FX’s American Crime Story, which will explore the 1997 murder of fashion designer Gianni Versace.

In fact, when asked by Variety, show creator Ryan Murphy said that casting Lady Gaga as Donatella was never even really a discussion.

Speaking to a small group of reporters at the Television Critics Association winter press tour in Pasadena, California, Murphy was asked if the superstar would be playing the fashion icon. He simply responded, “No.”

Asked if Lady Gaga was ever in talks to play Donatella, Murphy told Variety, “Not really. She’s a friend. But she’s very busy this next year – she’s doing Super Bowl and then she’s doing A Star Is Born and I believe that she’s going on tour. And when you’re going to do a show like Versace, it’s a five-month commitment, it’s a very big show, we’re shooting it all over the world. So I just don’t think with her schedule, I knew that it would never had worked. But I would love to work with her on something in the future.”

Tabloid reports were published in November 2016 stating that Lady Gaga would be playing Donatella, though at the time, Variety sources said that casting was not true.

Lady Gaga, of course, has past ties to Murphy. She starred in American Horror Story: Hotel for which she won a Golden Globe award. She also had a smaller role in the most recent season of American Horror Story, Roanoke. The musician has recently turned to acting, which she says has always been her longtime passion. Up next, she is starring alongside Bradley Cooper in the remake of A Star Is Born, as Murphy mentioned.

As for the Versace murder that will be explored in American Crime Story S3, the fashion house founder, Gianni, was killed on the steps of his home in Miami Beach, Florida, by serial murderer Andrew Cunanan, who killed five people that year, and then killed himself on a house boat, eight days after killing Versace.

Donatella was Gianni’s sister. The season, titled Versace/Cunanan: American Crime Story, will be based on the book Vulgar Favors by Vanity Fair writer Maureen Orth. Tom Rob Smith will write various episodes in the season and serve as executive producer with Murphy, Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson, and Brad Falchuk. Fox 21 will produce.

The first season of American Crime Story explored the O.J. Simpson murder case, and the critically acclaimed season swept the Emmys, winning all the major awards in its category. S2 of the anthology series will focus on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

At the TCA press tour, FX CEO John Landgraf said that S2 and S3 will air about six months apart from each other, though the Versace installment will actually shoot first.

“We’ll have a long hiatus and then we’ll get back on cycle,” Landgraf said. “We just have really high ambitions. It’s not a lurid true crime series. It’s taken time. When you’re shooting in New Orleans, you have to worry about hurricanes. Versace will shoot first, Katrina will air second.” – Reuters/Elizabeth Wagmeister

At a preview of one of 20th Century Fox’s biggest movies of the year, Alien: Covenant (opening in May), star Katherine Waterston teased details of her hotly anticipated film, which she confirms will see her taking over from original Alien star Sigourney Weaver in battling extraterrestrials.

Speaking after a press screening in Los Angeles of a nail-biting scene in which the aliens first appear, she says she was terrified when she first saw the footage despite appearing in it herself.

“It freaks me out. I can’t handle scary movies at all. You don’t think about having to watch it,” says the 36-year-old actress, who starred in the recent Harry Potter spin-off, Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them.

In the upcoming film, she, Michael Fassbender, James Franco and Billy Crudup play crew members on the Covenant, a ship sent to colonise a remote planet.

It is a follow-up to 2012’s Prometheus, which was the first prequel to the original Alien series of horror/science-fiction movies from 1979 to 1997.

Waterston, daughter of Law & Order star Sam Waterston, also offers a glimpse at how legendary director Ridley Scott, who made the iconic films Blade Runner (1982), Thelma & Louise (1991) and Gladiator (2000), works – he is remarkably laissez-faire when it comes to his actors.

During their initial meeting, she recalls, he had said: “I like to shoot two takes of each scene and get on with the day, and come in on time and under budget, and take the cast out to dinner at night. Does that sound good to you? I don’t want to get in your way – you’ll read the script, you’ll know what to do.”

The actress adds: “And that’s really what it was like – he left us all in our corners to work out what we wanted to do and we’d show it to him.

“If it was terrible, he’d say, ‘That was ****ing terrible’ and we’d do it better. And then we’d go to dinner.”

For her, this approach was the perfect antidote to the darkness of the storyline.

“Actually, making something this dark and twisted, it was really lovely to do it with someone who’s so enthusiastic about what he does and also knows how to drink a martini and have an oyster at the end of the day.”

Scott told Waterston that what motivated him with the Alien movies is that he got “a sick pleasure from sitting in the audience and listening to people scream”.

“And he’s trying to achieve that here,” she says.

The aliens in this instalment – dubbed “neomorphs” – will look different from the ones in the other films, but no less horrifying.

She and the other actors were surrounded by alien images and puppets so they would know exactly how the creatures looked.

“We saw everything ahead of shooting and we did our first read-through in a room where we were surrounded on all sides by disturbing images of the aliens and what they can do to a person. So we were all kind of green at that first reading.

“Then we got to work with a lot of puppets and stuff.”

Asked if fan speculation that her character Daniels – the crew’s terraforming expert – will take over the mantle of Ripley, the alien-fighting heroine played by Weaver in the earlier movies, she says: “I see that parallel for sure.”

But she clarifies that Daniels’ bowl haircut, which fans who saw the trailer instantly likened to Ripley’s 1980s hairdo, is not a nod to the original films.

In fact, the coiff was inspired by Ezra Miller, Waterston’s co-star in Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them.

“I had a bob for Fantastic Beasts and I was still shooting that when I got this job. And even before I got this job, I was really drawn to Ezra’s haircut in that film, which is sort of a miniature bowl cut.

“When I got (this job), I saw a wig with Ezra’s hairdo one night and said, ‘Can I just try that on for a second?’ and took a bunch of pictures and convinced Ridley to let me do it for the film.

“So I basically just totally ripped off this Fantastic Beasts hairdo from Ezra, who also put me on tape for this film,” she says, referring to the video-taped audition she submitted for this role. “So I feel like I really should give him half my pay cheque.” – The Straits Times/Asia News Network/Alusin DeSouza

After SPL, Ip Man and Rogue One, and all his countless butt-kicking appearances before and in between, we’ve admittedly got a definite bias towards Donnie Yen (The Monkey King notwithstanding).

But he really is the best thing about this sequel that no one expected (or was waiting for), coming 12 years after the last xXx movie.

As Xiang, a lethal operative with a possibly sinister agenda, Yen is clearly having fun – way too much of it – throughout this movie. It’s as if that perpetual smirk he wears on-screen is about to give way at any moment to a colossal burst of laughter.

That infectious sense of enjoyment he exudes actually helps propel xXx: Return Of Xander Cage over and past its rough spots; those would include having little regard for a logical story and a total disregard for giving most of its characters any kind of purpose whatsoever to be present.

As the title indicates, the movie – think of it as a 1980s throwback, only one that’s made, well, today – brings back Vin Diesel as Xander Cage, the extreme athlete turned secret agent from the first film back in 2002. Why? Just because we need more Diesel-fuelled franchises.

OK, actually it’s all about a MacGuffin known as Pandora’s Box, which can pull satellites out of orbit and drop them with pinpoint precision on ground targets.

Before you can say “Wouldn’t a bomb be cheaper?”, and anyone connected with this film can answer “But it wouldn’t look dope,” the aforementioned Xiang and his gang of other lethal operatives (played by, among others, Deepika Padukone and Tony Jaa) have stolen the only known model of the device.

So it’s up to Xander Cage to come out of retirement (for reasons best left unspoiled here) and assemble his own team to counter these baddies: a sniper (Ruby Rose), a deranged stunt driver (Rory McCann) and … a deejay (Kris Wu)? Wait, what? The sniper, sure. Rose even does a heck of a lot more here than she does in Resident Evil: The Final Chapter. The stunt driver, I almost get. But the deejay? To be fair, he does get the job done when he is called into action. I mean, it’s time these thrillers had some kind of spin other than the political kind, right?

‘Stop standing around like tourists, we’ve got a planet to save. OK, so you guys might as well be tourists, since this team is even more random than … my other movie teams.’

Long story short (not much of a stretch to do that), the teams clash, allegiances shift – almost at random – and lots of butt gets kicked.

xXx: The Return Of Xander Cage

For BigBang fans, or V.I.P.s as they are fondly known, the much dreaded inevitability has finally come. Members of the mega popular K-pop quintet will gradually serve the mandatory military enlistment – forcing the group to go on a hiatus.

In that regard, Made (stylised as MADE) – an album that took over a year to be released in its entirety – can be regarded as the five-member outfit’s swan song. And boy, the group does know how to go off with a bang.

Despite its delayed release, the 11-track album was preceded by 10 of the songs released as singles since mid 2015. That promotional move unfortunately, might make the full album sound dated.

But that doesn’t discount the fact that Made is still a very cohesive and strong album. Opener Fxxk It sets the perfect tone by being one of the BigBang-est song there is. The quirky mid-tempo hip-hop number underlines the boys’ playful persona and eclectic artistry.

Fxxk It doesn’t quite have the one-two punch quality of classics such as Fantastic Baby or Haru Haru, but it’s a futuristic top-notched addition that wows through the overwhelming sonic elements in the track (listen out for the amalgamation of tropical beats, horns and synths).

The next few years will see the K-pop community deprived of BigBang’s musical genius. Photo: YG Entertainment

Then there’s Last Dance, a sentimental pop-rock ballad that will further cement the boys’ heartthrob status. But the following Girlfriend fails to live up to the grand ambitions of the previous two tracks. True blue fans might appreciate the hip hop throwback to the group’s earlier efforts, but the number pales in comparison next to more contemporary releases today.

Elsewhere, Bang Bang Bang, Sober and We Like 2 Party extends the ironically celebratory mood of the record’s fantastic opener. Ultimately, it’s the more evocative numbers (Let’s Not Fall In Love, If You) that will remind K-pop audience on the fantastic musical geniuses who will elude them for the next few years.

Bullock’s character is the leader of a group of thieves and cons who try to pull off a major heist. Damian Lewis (Billions) will play Bullock’s ex-lover and the target of the gang’s robbery.

Ross is directing from a script that he co-wrote with Olivia Milch. Ocean’s Eleven director Steven Soderbergh and Ross will produce with executive producer Susan Ekins. Village Roadshow is co-producing and co-financing, as it did with the three previous Ocean’s movies starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt. Those films were released in 2001, 2004 and 2007.

Warner Bros has set a release date of June 8, 2018, for Ocean’s Eight. Corden hosts The Late Late Show With James Corden and has been set to host the Grammy Awards in February. His feature credits include The Lady In The Van, Into The Woods and Begin Again. He also has voice credits on Trolls, along with the upcoming The Emoji Movie and Peter Rabbit. The news was first reported by Deadline Hollywood. – Reuters/Dave McNary

The 23rd annual Screen Actors Guild went as expected – it’s an organisation that has a habit of rewarding frontrunners and repeat winners, after all. So it came as little surprise that Emma Stone and Viola Davis took home trophies.

But the voters did manage to keep things interesting, with a few notable curveballs.

Surprise: Stranger Things

The retro thriller’s win was the upset of the night. Not only did the Netflix sleeper hit end Downton Abbey‘s two-year long reign at the SAG Awards, but it also triumphed over Emmy champion Game Of Thrones. With Game out of contention this year, the kids certainly now have the momentum.

Surprise: William H. Macy, Shameless

William H. Macy. Photo: Reuters

Even William H. Macy acknowledged he was shocked when his name was called over two-time reigning champ Jeffrey Tambor (Transparent). There’s usually nothing SAG likes more than a repeat winner, but Macy’s Frank Gallagher on the Showtime dramedy does have his charms.

Surprise: Bryan Cranston, All The Way

Bryan Cranston. Photo: Reuters

To be sure, Bryan Cranston delivered a bravura performance as Lyndon B. Johnson in HBO’s gripping biopic – the role earned him a Tony as well. But like the lawyer he played on FX’s The People V. O.J. Simpson, Emmy winner Courtney B. Vance was widely expected to win here, too.

Surprise: Denzel Washington, Fences

Denzel Washington. Photo: Reuters

Casey Affleck had completely dominated the circuit leading into the night. But in the end it was Fences star Denzel Washington, winning his first-ever SAG award, who shocked in the best actor field. Only four times has the best actor Oscar gone a different direction from SAG, and the last time was 13 years ago. We officially have an exciting race here.

Surprise: Hidden Figures

Janelle Monae (left) and Taraji P. Henson. Photo: Reuters

The smart money was on Moonlight to claim the film ensemble prize, particularly as it’s seemingly been La La Land‘s biggest competition for best picture all season long. But in the end, SAG pulled a fast one, honouring the cast of Hidden Figures and giving the film a wonderful opportunity to make its case for the industry’s top honour. Taraji P. Henson’s speech, part and parcel of a whole night’s worth of politically-leaning sentiments, not doubt earned the film a ton of votes.

Snub:Westworld

HBO’s new sci-fi drama entered the night with a list-topping three nominations, but went home empty-handed. (And Game Of Thrones, which also had three noms, had to settle for a stunt ensemble trophy.) The SAG voters just don’t like genre…. except when it comes in a 1980s package.

Snub: Downton Abbey

The two-time winner for best drama ensemble was finally dethroned in its final season by those plucky kids from Stranger Things. Thanks for the memories, Grantham family.

Snub: Manchester By The Sea

It wasn’t just Casey Affleck who went home empty-handed from the Manchester crew but every other nominee, too: Michelle Williams, Lucas Hedges and the film’s cast. That’s quite the dismissal of a movie built on incredible performances. – Reuters/Debra Birnbaum

Over a few months he lost the equivalent weight of a microwave oven or a chubby toddler, but don’t expect Jamie Foxx to bring out a dieting guide any time soon.

It’s not that he doesn’t have wisdom to impart on getting into shape, it’s just that his way of expressing the secrets of his success is rather unconventional.

“I didn’t really diet, I just cut all that **** out,” the 49-year-old actor tells AFP, recalling the moment it dawned on him that he could no longer gorge on fast food and just run it off.

His latest movie Sleepless, a claustrophobic, taut police procedural which takes place over one night, sees Foxx playing a Las Vegas detective with ties to the underworld who scours a casino in search of his kidnapped son.

The role would require the actor and his 40-year-old co-star Michelle Monaghan (Mission: Impossible III, Patriots Day) to run, jump, fight and generally be in the shape of their lives.

At the time Foxx was tipping the scales at 98kg in July last year, with cholesterol levels that would make a polar bear blanch, but managed to get down to 83kg.

“I ate chicken, fish and vegetables,” he tells AFP at a plush hotel in Beverly Hills, California, where he is promoting the crime thriller.

“Within two weeks I lost 3.6kg and I started working out with my trainer and before you know it I was at 90kg within two or three, four weeks and then just steady, steady, steady.”

All the training in the world, however, could not have helped Foxx avoid a full-on punch to the teeth delivered by Monaghan during a fight scene in a casino hotel room.

“I didn’t knock them out, but I did chip them,” Monaghan confesses to AFP at the same promotion event.

“We were in the heat of the moment and I don’t know if the adrenaline got the best of me but I hit him just square in the teeth and I chipped them. He took it and he honestly said ‘keep going’.”

Foxx has been one of the most sought-after actors in the business since bagging an Oscar in 2005 for his portrayal of blind American musician Ray Charles in Taylor Hackford’s biopic Ray.

A classically trained pianist, Foxx jammed with Charles before the artist’s death in June 2004 at the age of 73.

Born Eric Marlon Bishop on Dec 13, 1967 in Terrell, Texas, Foxx was encouraged by his grandmother, who raised him, to start tinkling the ivories at a young age.

He studied piano at New York’s prestigious Juilliard School and moved to Los Angeles in the late 1980s to become a musician, but was quickly sidetracked by comedy.

Soon a fixture on the stand-up circuit, he landed a job in the sketch show In Living Color in the 1990s, before being given his own sitcom, the The Jamie Foxx Show.

He won secondary roles in a number of comedy movies but his first dramatic role was as a football player in Oliver Stone’s 1999 drama Any Given Sunday, opposite Al Pacino.

In Sleepless, Foxx’s character Vincent struggles to balance the rigorous requirements of the day job with making the time to see his son – a dilemma which any hard-working actor with a family must confront.

“Oliver Stone gave me advice when we were shooting and my kid was young,” the father of two daughters – one seven, the other now grown up – tells AFP. “He said ‘bring your kids everywhere with you, bring them to set’.”

Foxx took the advice, and brought along his youngest, Annalise, when he was filming Quentin Tarantino’s gory western Django Unchained. “And that’s what you’ve got to do,” he laughs. “Once your kids have an explanation of what it is you do, then you’re pretty much cool.” – AFP

From variety shows and live music shows to heavy family dramas that are filled with meaning, here’s a run-down of what to watch this festive season.

CNY Daytime Special 2017

Astro Wah Lai Toi, Ch 311, 11.45am

Usher in the Year of the Rooster with this variety show featuring your favourite Hong Kong TVB artistes.

The Bee Gees: One Night Only In Vegas

TV1, Astro Ch 101/HyppTV Ch 101, 1.30pm

Re-live your favourite hits from the musical group like Stayin’ Alive and How Deep Is Your Love in this 1997 live concert in Las Vegas.

Nona CNY

TV3, Astro Ch 103/HyppTV Ch 103, 2pm

This special edition of the popular women’s magazine show follows Olympic medalist Cheong Jun Hoong as she does her CNY shopping. Singer-actress Dr Soo Wincci will also be giving tips on staying fit and healthy during the festivities while designer Carven Ong shares the hottest CNY fashion trends.

Chronicles Of The Ghostly Tribes

Astro AEC, Ch 301, 3.30pm

In 1979, a team of archealogists were sent to the Mongolian border to uncover fossils but an explosion left them trapped underground. There, they discovered an ancient temple which unleashed a pact of supernatural beasts. Only one survived – young soldier Hu Bayi. Years later, Hu is still plagued by the events of that day and is determined to find out what happened. Starring Mark Chao, Yao Chen and Rhydian Vaughan.

Kelly Let’s Celebrate! World Tour 2015 Concert

Astro Wah Lai Toi, Ch 311, 4pm

Hear Hong Kong diva Kelly Chen perform some of her biggest hits Paisley Galaxy, Big Day and Blessed live during her 2015 world tour.

The Monkey King 2

Astro Wah Lai Toi, Ch 311, 8.30pm

On his way to India to collect Buddha’s scriptures, young monk Tang Sanzang faces threats from the White Bone Demon who seeks to devour him in order to gain immortality. The Monkey King must protect him throughout the perilous journey. Starring Aaron Kwok, Feng Shaofeng and Gong Li.

Final Recipe starring Henry Lau and Michelle Yeoh.

Final Recipe

Now Baogu HD, HyppTV Ch 225, 9pm

Hao, a chef and restaurant owner, has always hoped his grandson Mark would get a university education. But the strong-willed Mark wants to follow in his grandfather’s culinary ways. But when Hao’s restaurant falls apart, Mark decides to join a cooking contest without Hao’s knowledge in order to revive his business. Starring Henry Lau, Michelle Yeoh and Aden Young.

Escape From Huang Shi

TV2, Astro Ch 102/HyppTV Ch 102, 9.30pm

During the Japanese occupation of China in 1937, British journalist George Hogg poses as a first aid worker and enters Nanjing to document the atrocities committed by the Japanese. When his cover gets blown along the way, he seeks refuge in a house filled with 60 orphans. Hogg later decides to lead the orphans out of the war and into safety. Starring Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Chow Yun Fat and Michelle Yeoh.

The Conman

SCM Legend, HyppTV Ch 226, 10pm

Andy Lau plays a man who has just been released from prison after accidentally killing an assassin. But his troubles are not over yet as the assassin’s brother is coming after him. Nick Cheung and Athena Chu also star.

Blind Detective

Ntv7, Astro Ch 107/HyppTV Ch 107, 11pm

Detective Johnston Chong is forced to leave his job after suffering from retinal damage but a chance encounter with team inspector Goldie Ho changes everything. Impressed by Chong’s investigative skills despite being blind, she recruits him for a case she has never been able to crack. Starring Andy Lau and Sammi Cheng.

It’s a sight I never thought I’d get to see. Rozita Che Wan is clad in a carefully put together blue-and-white ensemble and a long, sweeping overcoat with leafy motives completes the look. Dressed to the nines, she is standing in front of a hot wok frying keropok ikan for her family.

She is one of the most glamorous celebrities in the country but Rozita, or affectionately known to her fans as Che Ta, is showing a side many have not seen before on the reality series, The House.

The House, now in its third season (previous seasons featured the Maembong sisters Emma, Yaya and Chacha and Vida beauty founder Datuk Seri Vida), follows the life of the 43-year-old actress and her family – husband Zain Saidin, 32, their two-year-old daughter Aaisyah Dhia Rana and Che Ta’s two sons from her previous marriage Ammar Effendy, 21, and Aniq Ezzra, 19 – as they spend a week at a holiday home in Hulu Langat in Selangor.

“She can cook very well,” Zain shared when asked to name a fact most people don’t know about his wife. “She makes really good kuay teow and I love her cod fish with asparagus.”

Che Ta was a former air stewardess who has found success as an actress, TV host and an entrepreneur. She explains the reason she signed on to the reality show. “Fans want to know what my life is like and what my family is like, as they’re always asking. That’s why I chose to do it. And of course, the payment,” she said with a laugh.

The House focuses on the life of Rozita Che Wan and her big family.

Speaking of getting to know more about Che Ta, her mum and siblings, who paid her a surprise visit during the episode, also spill the beans on the actress.

“We lived in a kampung house, like with roosters crowing. And the house was in front of a public graveyard so people who came (to visit us) at night would get scared,” eldest sister Rahimah described their childhood home.

Che Ta was born and bred in Alor Setar, Kedah, and is the second of seven siblings.

“Growing up, she was always the fierce one among all of us,” youngest sister and actress Ayu Raudhah revealed. She shared that Che Ta, who was tasked with doing the laundry, would always wake up early to complete her chores.

“She would pour water on us if we woke up late and didn’t do our chores on time. The whole bed would be wet!” said Ayu.

But despite Che Ta’s strict demeanour, there’s a soft side to her. “She’s also a sensitive person. If you accidentally say something wrong, she will take it to heart,” Rahimah said. “She would be very quiet, and then we’d know she’s offended.”

And from a young age, Che Ta’s passion for fashion was already evident.

“She loved fashion. She would ask me to make her clothes this way and that way, and she doesn’t like repeating her clothes,” said her mum, Zabedah.

Although life in the kampung was difficult, the siblings all agree they miss staying together as a family.

Incidentally, the holiday home chosen by the show’s producers gives off a kampung vibe. It is nestled in a forest, with a stream running in the front of the house and there’s even a chicken coop.

Asked if Che Ta misses her life back in the kampung, she replied, “No, I grew up in the kampung, and once I’ve moved on, I don’t look back and want what I left behind. For example, if you lived a difficult life back then, do you still want to live that way? No, right? It’s the same with me. We want a life that’s better and better.”

Find out what Rozita and Zain Saidin are like in real life.

Having said that, Che Ta doesn’t mind living in the condition the producers of The House has set up – no mobile data, WiFi service or a TV set. The actress is happy “as long as I’m with my family”.

The social media personality, who has 2.8 million Instagram followers, said having no Internet access isn’t a problem. “I rarely use my phone when I’m with my family anyway. I usually look at my phone when I’m about to sleep or when I’m in the car.”

But her son Ammar doesn’t share her sentiments. “I can’t wait to go home,” he said with a laugh. “When I have nothing to do, I just lie down. But I have a lot of tasks to do here actually.”

Indeed, more than just simply being on holiday, the show requires the family of five to take part in a series of tasks prepared by its producers.

“I was woken up by producers at eight, one morning. I didn’t even get to shower. The cameras were rolling and I had to go and collect eggs from the chicken coop,” he said, describing one of his tasks, adding the experience was “annoying but fun”.

Meanwhile, Zain and Che Ta had a much more romantic assignment.

“We had to compete against each other to find the alphabets L, O, V and E scattered across four locations around the Klang Valley – where we first met, dated, proposed and got married,” Zain shared.

At the end of last year, Che Ta courted controversy when she posted a photo on Instagram of Zain and her apparently kissing. Will the couple show their affections on-screen this time?

“We weren’t actually kissing, we were just (posing) really close together, which gave that illusion,” she noted, clarifying the Instagram post, before adding, “we just act the way we normally would on the show.”

Some may wonder if a reality series like The House does indeed reflect reality itself. After all, can one truly be one’s self when the cameras are rolling?

“You forget that sometimes,” Che Ta reasoned. “In the first five minutes you know there’s a camera there, but after that, you forget there’s a camera, so you can’t keep up with appearances all the time.”

Breaking into song to express emotions too powerful for spoken words doesn’t resonate the way it did in the days of Gene Kelly and Bing Crosby.

A big green Hulk can thrash alien invaders all over the New York City skyline to the pleasure of millions, but a man busting out an impeccably choreographed dance number to a sweet melody is something audiences just can’t fathom anymore. For that reason, Damien Chazelle’s La La Land, a contemporary ode to the heyday of the Hollywood movie musical, will likely win or lose its audience by the end of its rousing, if not borderline campy opening number.

Set in the thick gridlock of Los Angeles freeway traffic, the number unfolds as people take to the pavement and car rooftops to sing and dance about the irresistible pull of Hollywood and the slim chance of stardom.

Dressed in bright colours and big smiles – despite most likely working minimum wage jobs between failed auditions – the jaunty denizens in Another Day In The Sun are living out the fantasy of millions in Hollywood. It’s the epitome of the exuberance of the classic Hollywood musical number.

But La La Land, for all its hundreds of extras and wide shots of the City of Angels, is a two-hander focusing on just two of those dreamers: Mia (a career-best Emma Stone), an actress struggling to stand out; and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling), a charismatic, but out-of-work jazz pianist hoping to single-handedly save the art form.

Like any good Hollywood musical, the creative types are initially at odds before falling head first into a romance under the city of stars and on studio backlots. It’s been 65 years since Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds did the same in Singin’ In The Rain, a hallmark of the genre.

While Chazelle, who broke out with 2014’s Whiplash, reaps inspiration from that film and the like, his addition never comes off as pandering or parody.

He shoots Los Angeles and his subjects with an adoring lens and an attention to detail that’s masterful and technically astounding. Coupled with a soaring score by Justin Hurwitz and lyrics by Pasek and Paul, the film is a dream for the musical genre.

But it also makes a concerted effort to change the age-old tune, so to speak.

Dance and musical numbers performed by Gosling and Stone are scaled back to accommodate their skill level, though the film works because it was written for actors who are actors first.

Long stretches pass with no musical numbers, and Stone’s tremendous third act stream-of-consciousness performance, Audition (The Fools Who Dream) would be too avant grade for any classic musical. That scene, alone is likely to clinch Stone an Oscar nomination and possibly the prize.

Chazelle’s formulaic breaks pay homage to the past, while intentionally crafting a film that’s representative of the future potential of musicals in which he hopes to inspire growth.

La La Land is foolish enough to dream of a bright future for the movie musical, while never forgetting where it’s been. – Star-News/Tribune News Service/Hunter Ingram

Many people thought remaking Fargo, Joel and Ethan Coen’s classic film, was a terrible idea.

Including the actors who will play key roles in the third instalment of the FX limited series, due in late April.

The first was set in 2006; the second jumped back to 1979. And the new 10-episode season jumps ahead to the technology-friendly 2010, and presents the latest Midwestern “true crime” story, which details are yet unclear. Filming began recently in Calgary, Canada, where temperatures hovered in the negative double digits.

Star Ewan McGregor, who plays brothers Emmit and Ray Stussy, the “parking lot king of Minnesota” and a slightly younger, less-successful parole officer, respectively, hadn’t watched the show when he was approached for the roles, but quickly became “pretty obsessed about it.”

David Thewlis plays VM Vargas, an “ill-mannered, Machiavellian” character from a nearby town, he says.

And “my guy is called Sy Feltz,” says Michael Stuhlbarg, Emmit’s partner and confidant, who also has a history with Ray. “He finds himself in and out of their relationship in some interesting ways.”

As with previous Fargo actors, “The challenge is to master that accent, which is very difficult to lock into,” says Scottish actor McGregor. “It’s the hardest one I’ve ever done,” he says.

Carrie Coon (The Leftovers)plays Gloria Burgle, the Eden Valley, Minnesota, sheriff, the moral centre of the show (as usual) whose “personal life is eroding,” Coon says.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Braindead) plays Nikki Swango, a parolee who’s “smart and savvy, with the capacity for conniving, and a dark side,” she says. “But she has a heart.”

While last season was “a large war,” says executive producer Warren Littlefield, “the important thing about Season Three is there’s more intimacy. We’re a smaller cast, which allows us to go deeper into these characters.” – USA Today/Tribune News Service/Gary Levin

Three years ago, Michiyo Ho was just a small-town girl from Jenjarom, Selangor, who had not really given much thought about what she wanted to do after she completed her secondary school education.

Today, the 22-year-old social media darling is being hailed as Malaysia’s Jolin Tsai. While Ho does bear an uncanny resemblance to the Taiwanese dance pop diva with her pretty features and her svelte figure, the similarities do not end there. Apart from catchy pop tunes and cute dance choreography, the doe-eyed fashionista also performs in eye-catching anime-inspired outfits.

Her self-titled debut album was released last October in conjunction with the Pink Ribbon Breast Cancer Awareness Zumba Charity Event while her latest Mandarin single Mimi was written by songwriter/filmmaker Namewee as a theme song for the breast cancer awareness campaign.

She has also tried her hand at co-hosting a new Mandarin television show on Astro AEC titled Call Me Handsome.

After spending the past few months promoting her album in Malaysia, the spunky lass is now making waves in Taiwan with Mimi.

1. How did you get your break into entertainment?

I was having fun posting stuff on Facebook and Instagram, when one day, Namewee contacted me on Facebook. He was recruiting online personalities for a local supergroup called Red People. Initially, I thought it was just a scammer pretending to be him, but he managed to get in touch with some friends who convinced me that he was the real deal. That was how I joined the team.

2. What can you tell us about your debut album?

There are five songs, four in Mandarin and one in Korean. All the songs are composed and written by Namewee, except for the one with Korean lyrics.

It was a great experience. The songs also feature collaborations with other artistes. Apart from having Namewee rapping on the Mandarin version of Love Me No More, I also got to duet with Diorlynn Ong on Abandoned, work with Jack Lim and Danny Koo in the music video for Hands Up Handsome!, and with MC Ah Fang on Mimi. Even South Korean rapper Fatdoo is featured in the Korean version of Love Me No More.

3. What was it like recording the Korean song?

Initially, Namewee gave me the lyrics to the Mandarin version. Then, all of a sudden, he wanted me to do a Korean version. Since we had a deadline for recording, I had seven days to learn the song. After we uploaded the song to YouTube, there were people who commented that it sounded like I was singing in Thai. Maybe it was because I had to Romanise the words to learn the song, as I was not familiar with the language. Although there was a Korean language teacher to help with the pronunciation during the recording session, we could not do much about the tone as we were singing a fast tune.

4. There is a lot of dancing in your music videos and you have such cute dance moves for Mimi. How long have you been dancing?

Not very long actually. I’m not a natural when it comes to dancing. So, the first time I had to dance for a music video, my movements were quite awkward. In fact, it was so awful that Namewee was quite taken aback! After that, I trained really hard to improve, because I was determined to prove him otherwise. And, it worked. He was pleasantly surprised by my vast improvement when we recorded Mimi.

Michiyo Ho is fondly known as the Jolin Tsai of Malaysia. Photo: The Star/Sam Tham

5. Apart from your new album, you’re hosting a variety show on Astro and you’ve even recorded a song for the show. What was the experience like?

The song Hands Up Handsome was written by Namewee for the show, Call Me Handsome. Recording the song and shooting the music video was so much fun.

I had to put myself in this village girl’s shoes and pretend to be coy and demure as I waved my handkerchief about while I was singing and dancing. It was quite hilarious.

Hosting the variety show was another first for me. Luckily, I had veterans like Jack Lim and Danny Koo to guide me. The physical challenge segments were quite tough for me as the other participants were all men. But it was fun all the way.

Is it any wonder that former Girls’ Generation member Jessica Jung – better known by the mononym Jessica – should feature a wintry concept for her sophomore solo release? After all, here is K-pop’s favourite ice princess, infamous for her occasionally icy attitude.

But in actual reality, this six-track mini album (two lesser tracks on the English version) is anything but cold. Lead single and title track – despite its Christmassy title – is a trendy electropop number with tropical riff raffs. Sure, the beats are metallic cool. The lyrics on the other hand? Sweet as heck (“Can you imagine sitting on the cloud in the purplish sky”).

That saccharine, celebratory Hallmark-y sentiment extends throughout the album. Dancing On The Moon sounds like a distant cousin of the title track, only with less wow factor. Meanwhile, Celebrate is a no-fuss dance offering that – well, you guessed it – promotes a happy-go-lucky lifestyle.

Now, all this uplifting message might work if Jessica is in a girl group – or a gospel singer. But it’s not going to sustain a successful solo K-pop career.

The sweet-girl-next-door-iness of Wonderland is really uninspiring and generic even. Sure, the 27-year-old can bank on the “post-GG” factor to fuel her solo endeavours. But if she wants to stand out on her own, a stronger concept is overdue.

Jessica Jung

Former James Bond Pierce Brosnan will take a leading role in The Son, a series launching on US TV network AMC in April. The Irish actor is making his comeback via the small screen, a medium that served to kickstart his career in the 1980s.

AMC, the network behind hit shows Mad Men and The Walking Dead, will present its latest original creation, The Son, April 8. This western follows the birth of the United States as a global superpower through the rise and fall of a Texan family at the helm of an oil empire.

The plot of this 10-episode drama spans three generations of the family. Pierce Brosnan plays the patriarch, the charismatic Eli McCullough. Henry Garrett, Shane Graham and Sydney Lucas also star in the show.

Brosnan has been keen to return to TV for several years. The actor rose to fame in the 1980s thanks to his small screen role in the series Remington Steele. From 1982 to 1987, he played a charming thief working alongside private detective Laura Holt. The drama was cancelled after five seasons at the request of the actor, who was initially forced to decline the James Bond role due to commitments to NBC.

The Irish actor made up for lost time in the 1990s, stepping into role as James Bond for four movies – Goldeneye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough and Die Another Day. The star also had roles in Mrs Doubtfire, Mars Attacks!, The Thomas Crown Affair and Mamma Mia!. – AFP Relaxnews

Every Chinese New Year, you will hear these auspicious greetings, which also happen to be the titles for some of the most played songs during this festive season.

This is also the liveliest and busiest time of the year for local girl group Q-Genz, which has been putting out CNY albums for the past 12 years.

They may be seasoned entertainers, but believe it or not, the members of Q-Genz are only in their teens.

Q-Genz is short for Q-generation – also known as Qiao Qian Jin in Mandarin – and its line-up currently consists of Veron Lin, Joanne Fu, Miko Oh and Ivian Wong. The group was originally known as Xiao Qian Jin (Little Princesses), when it was formed in 2005 with members who were four to five years old.

Its first album titled Sung Ni Yi Ge Da Nian Gao (Give You A Big New Year Cake) was released in 2006.

After that album, the group was renamed Qiao Qian Jin (Cute Princesses), on the advice of a fortune teller.

When Qiao Qian Jin celebrated its 10th year anniversary in 2015, the group changed its name to Q-Genz to reflect its coming of age.

This year, the group has reinvented itself yet again, as the cute little girls have blossomed into lovely young ladies. The group has released a full-length album titled Chun Feng De Yi (Triumphantly).

Apart from recording 10 songs for the album, the girls also shot 11 music videos – all within the short period of two months.

Having done this for so long, this was all in a day’s work for the four.

As the only original founding member left, Lin is practically a veteran in the business, even though she is just 16 years old.

She was only four when she was spotted by a talent scout at the Mary Sia Arts Performance Centre in Kepong, and was recruited into Xiao Qian Jin in 2005, together with three other precocious child performers, Viki Yap, Alicia Low and Cecelia Lee.

“I remember I was three when I started learning how to sing, and in just a few months, I was recruited to form a group,” Lin recalled.

“I’m now 16, and looking back to the time when I first started, I can say things are very different – there’s more of a storyline in our songs now and a lot more things to see in our music videos.”

She also said the group decided to change its image this year to reflect their transition from girls to young women.

“People used to call us tong xing (child stars). But we are well into our teen years now,” said Lin, who is also currently pursuing an acting career. She had a role in Hong Kong action flick Special Female Force last year.

At 15, Fu is the youngest member of Q-Genz, having joined the group in late 2011, replacing Alicia Low.

Fu recalled how her mother received a call asking whether she would be interested in letting her daughter be a child entertainer.

“My mother explained to me that becoming a child entertainer would fill my life with lots of sunshine, yet at the same time I would stand to lose some of my freedom and time. But if I gave up this rare opportunity, then I would surely regret it,” Fu said, adding that she does envy her classmates sometimes.

“There are moments when I wished for the kind of childhood that my friends are enjoying. I have few opportunities to go on vacation or get together with friends. Even school holidays are all spent singing, dancing, studying music, training, recording songs, shooting music videos, and doing rehearsals, album roadshows and other promotional activities. I find that I can barely catch my breath sometimes,” she mused.

All the same, Fu still hasn’t lost her passion for performing.

“It is something I enjoy so much. I always feel energised when I get on stage to perform for an audience,” she said.

Juggling school and showbiz was more of a challenge for Oh, who also joined Q-Genz in 2011, replacing Cecelia Lee.

The oldest member of the group, Oh, 17, had to sit for her SPM last year, so she had her hands full between preparing for her exams and making the album.

“It was quite a challenge, having to distribute my time and energy between my studies and music.

“I couldn’t attend some of the practice sessions, but we managed to get everything to gel together in the end,” she said.

Judging by the number of plushies and other gifts she received from fans during the first stop of the album promotion at Sungei Wang Plaza in Kuala Lumpur last month, Oh definitely won over a lot of fans with her efforts.

Compared to her fellow members, 16-year-old Wong is practically a baby in the business. Before she joined the group last year, Q-Genz was operating with just three members, and released two albums in 2014 and 2015 as a trio.

The group decided to recruit a fourth member for their 2017 effort.

Wong shared: “My vocal coach was the one who alerted me about Q-Genz looking for a fourth member.

“Since my voice was a good match with the other girls’, I was recommended for the part.”

Apart from music, Wong’s other passion lies in movement arts, and she chose to specialise in Latin dance and martial arts.

In fact, she has started working as a dance instructor despite being in her teens.

On how the group has lasted for so long, Lin said it was all thanks to their fans.

“Every year, we’d release a Chinese New Year album; at mid-year, we’d sometimes release another album of tong yao (children’s songs).

“Fans will leave us messages asking for a new album, if they don’t hear from us after awhile,” said Lin.

“We’re really thankful for the support of our fans, who continue to buy our albums and visit us at roadshows. Hopefully, they’ll keep on supporting us in the future!”

It has become something of a tradition to have a film featuring one of the big Hong Kong stars during Chinese New Year.

This year is no different with Jackie Chan delivering Kung Fu Yoga for our consumption. Judging from the trailer, Chan has not lost his humour nor his martial arts skills.

Another promising movie is the sequel to 2013 film Journey To The West: Conquering The Demons, titled Journey To The West: The Demons Strike Back. The film is directed by Tsui Hark, with a script from Stephen Chow (who helmed the 2013 film).

But that’s not all. You are spoilt for choice in the Year of the Rooster with the selection of movies released for the festive season.

New Year Wish

Directed by Lee Sai Yew, this movie tells of a doctor with a heart of gold and a magical healing ability. He notices his seven-year-old daughter has the same ability too.

Complication arises when Dr Liu gets into an accident and falls into a coma. Can his daughter save him even though she has no idea yet how to use her powers? Starring Alan Yuan, Sanny Lee and Debbie Loo.

Love From Kampung

Love From Kampung

We’ve seen enough ads where children are reminded to visit their parents back home more often. This local Chinese film has a similar concept with even more complicated emotions showcased in it. The parents of three individuals are looking forward to the return of their respective children to their hometown, but once again, these elderly folk are disappointed when each one comes up with an excuse not to balik kampung. So the parents decide to make their way to the city to visit their children so they can celebrate the New Year together. Alas, the children have not been completely truthful to their parents. Directed by Silver Yee, the film stars Jack Lim, Jeff Chin, Emily Chan and January So.

Kung Fu Yoga

Jackie Chan plays a professor of archaeology who goes excavating with a young Indian professor and her assistant to locate the lost Magadha treasure. Co-starring Aarif Rahman, Zhang Yixing, Sonu Sood, Amyra Dastur and Disha Patani.

Lucky Fat Man

Lucky Fat Man (Feb 2)

Chow Chong Fat (Bob Lam) leads a miserable life: He is either bullied by his wife’s family or being ordered around at his workplace. Then one day, his luck changes when he strikes the lottery. Now his problems are very different as people are scrambling to be nice to him. Co-starring Natalie Tong, Chu Mi Mi, Jacqueline Chong and Lo Hoi Pang.

All My Goddess (Feb 2)

Eileen, Eva, Jia Xin and Ruo Yan worked together as flight attendants. After a long time apart, they meet up when one of them gets married. However, the three single women are caught in a conundrum when the bride runs away, leaving the bridegroom all flustered as the wedding is supposed to be broadcast live. Starring Maggie Cheung, Annie Liu, Michelle Wai, Alex Fong, Louise Cheung and Vincent Kok.

The Fortune Handbook

The Fortune Handbook (Feb 2)

A Singaporean production starring Christopher Lee, Mark Lee, Li Nanxing and Vivian Lai. Su Fu decides to steal his brother-in-law’s Chinese pastry recipe and sell it to the highest bidder. Well, the God of Fortune is having none of this backstabbing nonsense and decides to teach Su Fu a lesson.

Cook Up A Storm (Feb 10)

Raymond Yip directs Nicholas Tse, Jung Yong Hwa and Michelle Bai in this comedy flick. It centres on two cooks, one a Cantonese street food chef and the other, trained in France. Both take part in an international culinary competition.

However, things come to a boil when they find a common foe and decide to work together.

Journey To The West: The Demons Strike Back

In this sequel, we see a monk trying to understand his three (odd) disciples. Along the way, there is some disciplining going on too. Starring Kris Wu, Ling Gengxin and Yao Chen.

The star has six-year-old twins – a boy and a girl – with her Korean-American businessman husband Jeong Ho-yeong. She says that she will accept work only if it allows her enough time with her family.

“Even though I want to take on more roles, my kids need more care from their mother. And that will be the case in the near future as well,’’ says Lee, 45, in an e-mail interview. “If I can play my roles as a mother and wife in my family while I take on work at the same time, then I will be glad to do it.”

That balance must have been created somehow on the set of her new TV drama series – Saimdang – her first acting project after 12 years out of the spotlight.

She was also drawn to the historical drama because she could relate to the titular role that she plays, as it involves a working mother from a bygone era.

Famed Joseon-era poet and artist Shin Saimdang, who lived in the early 16th century, was known for her landscape paintings and for raising seven children, including prominent Korean Confucian scholar Yulgok.

At a press conference for the series held in South Korea last November, the actress was quoted as saying: “I can relate to the historical figure, Shin, who went on the same journey as a mother and wife. She was a gifted painter.

“I feel that working mothers, whether in the past or present, face the same challenges. I chose to take on the role as I felt the drama would resonate with women around the world.”

Lee was last seen in Park Chan-wook’s thriller flick, Sympathy Of Lady Vengeance (2005), but most audiences will remember her best for playing the king’s first woman physician in epic period drama Jewel In The Palace (2003).

The lavish 54-episode series, which was reportedly exported to about 90 countries, solidified the regional popularity of Korean television, which had early hits such as the 2000 melodrama, Autumn In My Heart.

Jewel In The Palace, about perseverance and triumph in the face of injustice, has become such a classic that it continues to be rerun on various TV channels today. Lee says: “I sometimes watch it with my kids because I think it contains good messages for young children. My kids know that I am in it and they love it.”

She will have no regrets if none of her future work eclipses the immensely successful Jewel In The Palace.

“As long as a drama has an interesting storyline, like in Saimdang, I will do it. Now that I have kids, I believe I tend to choose film and drama roles that can be watched by everyone from the young to the old.

“In the past, I didn’t think about those things. I used to think only about myself, but now, I have to think about my family as well.”

Still, there is something else about Saimdang that drew her to the project – the chance to work with South Korean heartthrob Song Seung Heon, 40. In the series, Song plays Lee Gyum, an aristocrat and painter who was Saimdang’s childhood sweetheart.

Lee says: “As we all know, Song is an actor who is loved by women across Asia. The female staff members on the show adored him so much. I believe that the love story between Saimdang and Lee Gyum in this series will touch viewers.”

One of the things I look forward to every Chinese New Year is the fancy eight-course meals.

It begins with the customary yee sang toss, then followed by a piping hot serving of fish maw soup (say no to shark fin soup please!) to get your appetite going.

The mains are next, marked by meatier dishes like crispy roast chicken, steamed fish and king prawns (which is the highlight of the meal, if you asked me). Stir-fried broccoli with chinese mushrooms gets thrown in somewhere in between.

A plate of steamed glutinous rice guarantees you a full stomach and finally, a sweet bowl of tong sui caps off the night.

CNY TV viewing is a lot like an eight-course meal. There’s lighter fare like variety shows and live music shows, heavy family dramas that are filled with meaning and sweet, sentimental love stories.

Here’s a run-down of what to watch on the first day of CNY (look out for the list for the second day tomorrow). We hope you’ll find something that’ll satisfy your viewing appetite.

Baba Nyonya

TV3, Astro Ch 103/HyppTV Ch 103, Noon

The Year of the Monkey has been a lucky year for Wai Meng as his business has been thriving. But success is getting to his head, as he becomes more and more greedy and selfish. His wife Mei Mei tries to make him realise that wealth means nothing without his loved ones by his side to celebrate with him. Will she succeed? Starring Vince Chong, Aenie Wong and Hanif Safuan.

Shaolin Soccer

Shaolin Soccer

8TV, Astro Ch 708/HyppTV Ch 108, 2pm

Stephen Chow combines kung fu with football in Shaolin Soccer, and scores. Sing is a Shaolin monk who has been trying to find a way to promote kung fu. The perfect opportunity arises when he meets a former football star offering to coach him and his fellow Shaolin monks, using their kung fu moves to their advantage in the sport. Zhao Wei and Ng Man Tat co-star.

Ayam Jaguh

TV2, Astro Ch 102/HyppTV Ch 102, 2pm

Ambitious May Ling plans to set up a zumba and yoga business but her boyfriend doesn’t want her to. Will she choose ambition over love? Starring Megan Tan and Zoee Tan.

The Kid From The Big Apple generated quite a bit of buzz last year after picking up four awards at the 7th Macau International Movie Festival. The heartwarming family drama focuses on 11-year-old Sarah whose entire life in New York gets uprooted all of a sudden when she has to move and stay with her grandfather in Malaysia. They don’t get along with each other, but the loving grandpa never stops trying. Starring Jessica Hester Hsuan, Lung Ti and Tan Qin Lin.

Let’s Sing Kids Season Four

Astro Xiao Tai Yang, Ch 325, 7.30pm

You may have seen Malaysian singer Adinda Tasya Mansor’s rendition of Celine Dion’s I Surrender, which went viral last year on this show. Watch her entire journey as a contestant on Let’s Sing Kids, a version of Voice Of China for children under 14, in this marathon special.

The Mermaid

Astro Wah Lai Toi, Ch 311, 8.30pm

A mermaid plots to assassinate a developer who is working on a project that requires eradicating all sea life living in her area. But what happens when the two begin to fall for each other? Starring Deng Chao, Lin Yun and Show Luo.

Trivisa

Celestial Movies, Astro Ch 322, 9pm

The Hong Kong Film Critics Society has named Trivisa the best film of last year. Wondering what the fuss is all about? Set in 1997 just before Britain handed over of Hong Kong to China, rumours are swirling that three notorious thieves are planning one last heist. One of the men hears the rumour and gets inspired, initiating contact with the other two. Starring Gordon Lam, Richie Jen and Jordan Chan.

The Ark Of Mr Chow

SCM HD, HyppTV Ch 228, 10.30pm

A group of teen geniuses are selected to be a part of a university programme. As they’re a little rebellious and rough around the edges, they don’t quite fit in with the university’s studious, bespectacled crowd. Starring Sun Honglei, Zhou Dongyu and Dong Zijian.

Just these names are enough to tell you that this year’s Royal Rumble – the titular event itself, not counting the other matches on the card – is going to be huge (WWE Network, Astro Ch 820/840, Jan 30).

When Goldberg and Lesnar were the first two names confirmed for the big bout after their Survivor Series clash (which Goldberg won in an astonishing 86 seconds!), it looked like they would dominate the match.

Then the man-mountain Braun Strowman threw his, er, hat in the ring and suddenly, things became a lot less certain. A little later, The Phenom himself, The Undertaker, gave notice to the whole WWE Universe that he was also signing up. (Hey, at least he HAS a hat to throw in the ring.)

With the Wyatts, the New Day, newly-crowned US Champion Chris Jericho, the Lone Wolf Baron Corbin, Dean Ambrose, The Miz, Dolph Ziggler, Cesaro and Sheamus also being named, one thing is pretty certain: people are going to get hit real hard.

Seth Rollins is one angry Architect after losing his Royal Rumble spot on Raw. Will he find a way in somehow? Photo: WWE, Inc

And let’s not forget the potential surprise entrants. WWE has always pulled a few of these on Rumble night, and a certain Demon King could be one of those. Sure, Finn Balor – who won the WWE Universal Championship at SummerSlam and was forced to relinquish it the very next night because of injury – has reportedly said that he’s still a couple of months away from a return, but that could be just a smokescreen.

There’s also the matter of Seth Rollins. The Architect was swindled out of a Royal Rumble spot on this week’s Raw when he was forced to take on Sami Zayn in a Rumble Qualifying Match. Rollins had the match all but won when Triple H’s music hit and Zayn scored the pinfall on the distracted Seth.

Leave it to Rollins to somehow find a way into the match – or perhaps interrupt another “surprise” Triple H return, possibly to get that no-stakes WrestleMania grudge match between them going.

Now that Kurt Angle has been named as the first Hall Of Fame Class Of 2017 inductee, it’s quite possible that this year’s Rumble might also have a long-absent booster shot of Intensity, Integrity and Intelligence.

Don’t count on Goldberg, Undertaker, Rollins or Lesnar getting their WrestleMania title shots from the Rumble, though. If anything, we’ll see a third Goldberg-Lesnar match set up for ’Mania, with Undertaker quite possibly facing someone from Smackdown (since technically he’s still with the blue brand) who will cost him his chance for victory in the Rumble.

Longshot: A Cesaro win. Hey, he’s won over-the-top-rope battle royals before (being the inaugural Andre the Giant Memorial tournament winner), is over with most fans and has the showmanship, if not the mic skills, for a title run. Or title shot, at least. Sure, Baron Corbin has similar credentials for a victory, too, but … face it … his ring persona needs work. (yawns)

Speaking of titles, the Rumble will also see Kevin Owens defending his Universal title against a now-titleless Roman Reigns. AJ Styles gets to beat up John Cena some more while fending off the latter’s challenge for his World Heavyweight title. Charlotte puts her Raw Women’s Championship on the line against Bayley (who, frankly, is not ready for a championship reign in the main roster IMHO).

And over in the Cruiserweight division, champion Rich Swann – who gives some strange interviews, I must say; you don’t know if he’s joking or being deadly serious – faces a serious challenge from Neville. Or nEVILle, as his name should be written during his current heel turn.

My money is on Reigns taking the belt from Owens, and then facing Rumble winner Strowman at ’Mania. I hope no one misconstrues that statement as CNY gambling.

Do you feel Lucha, punk?

Fans of the gritty, intense Lucha Underground, take heart! Word has it that S2 of your favourite Mark Burnett-Robert Rodriguez wrestling show is set to return on Feb 20 on Kix HD (Astro Ch 729), in its old 9pm Monday slot.

S1 concluded a short while ago in spectacular fashion with Prince Puma putting his Lucha Underground Championship on the line against the Man Of A Thousand Deaths, Mil Muertes (who, initially, kind of reminded me of a masked Undertaker clone wearing pyjama trousers, but his look became a lot meaner and scarier as the show progressed).

Mil Muertes standing triumphant over Prince Puma in the first season finale of Lucha Underground. S2 comes on next month. Photo: El Rey Network

The spectacular, all-stops-pulled-out match ended with Mil Muertes capturing the gold, putting his valet/manager Catrina firmly in charge of the Lucha Underground Temple with her Disciples of Death holding the Trios Championship as well.

Head honcho Dario Cueto went on the run at the end of the first season, but you just know he’ll be back (and indeed, you won’t have to wait long – just about a couple of months into the new season) with a huge surprise for everyone.

Mark that date and let’s get ready to rumble!

Putting the ‘phew’ in feud

Is it just the Dwaynester, or did the feud on Raw between Enzo Amore-Big Cass and Rusev-Jinder Mahal … well, kind of blow?

Really, it harked back to something you might have found, say, Val Venis involved in back in the Attitude Era, and back then at least it would have been R-rated enough to seem worthwhile. But all it amounted to in this PG-13 Era was a whole lot of unfunny and lather-rinse-repeat monotony. Frankly, how many times did we need to see Enzo ambushed and beaten to a pulp? Or watch Big Cass and Jinder’s potential squandered week after week? Or put up with Rusev – the “Bulgarian George Clooney” – and Lana’s mutual declarations of love?

Well, at least the New Day has had some competition of late for “most tedious segment” honours.

There’s much to crow about in the Year of the Rooster as dimsum.my acquires exciting new shows to add to its ever-growing catalogue.

It’s time to stock up on the festive munchies and liven up your Chinese New Year with unlimited access to the best Asian content, including movies, dramas, variety shows and specialty programmes. Here are our picks of eight must-watch shows during CNY.

Lantern Festival is celebrated on the 15th day of CNY. Better known in Malaysia as Chap Goh Mei, this year’s celebration will take place on Feb 11. Watch how it is celebrated in China.

Pretty Li Hui Zhen

Thid mainland Chinese romantic comedy is a remake of the K-drama She Was Pretty. It’s the story of a pair of childhood friends who experience a reversal of fortune as adults. As kids, Li Hui Zhen was a pretty girl while Bai Hao Yu was an ordinary boy. When they meet again several years later, she has grown up to be a clumsy nerd while he has turned into a hot hunk.

Super Trio Maximus

Super Trio Maximus

This Cantonese game show is one of Hong Kong’s best productions. Maximus is the 10th in the Super Trio series, which has entertained audiences since 1995. This season gathers hosts from previous seasons. Watch out for Eric Tsang, Chin Kar Lok, Louis Yuen, Wong Cho Lam, Jerry Lamb, King Kong, Elvina Kong and Otto Wong. Celebrity guests include artistes from Hong Kong, Taiwan and China. All 31 episodes of the show are available with subtitles in English and Chinese.

After seven years of nametag-ripping, Running Man has recently been plagued with so much controversy, that the show actually got cancelled and then reinstated. Worries aside, the Korean variety show, which has been winning awards since 2010, is now on dimsum.my. Currently available are S5 (Ep 129 to 180) and S6 (Ep 181 to 235).

Members for both seasons are Song Ji-hyo, Kim Jong-kook, Yoo Jae-suk, Lee Kwang-soo, Ji Suk-jin, Haha and Gary. Check out the episode in which Jackie Chan appears as a guest; the multi-talented Hong Kong star actually understands Korean and even speaks the language.

Jackie Chan (3rd from left) and Choi Si Won (4th from left) are guests in episode 135 of Running Man.

Feng Shu’s Cooking Class 2015 CNY Special

It’s time to whip up some auspicious fare for CNY! And if you are out to impress your loved ones, here’s a popular Taiwanese cooking show that will give you some fresh ideas and show you how to achieve the much-coveted kochabi (traditional flavour). The highly-rated show is hosted by Feng Shu with chef Ah Ji, mostly in the Minnan dialect (Taiwanese variant of Hokkien) with a bit of Mandarin.

Touch Screen Cuisine

Here’s an unusual cooking show from Singapore, which pairs food bloggers and artistes for a cook-off. Hosted by Ben Yeo and Vivian Lai, this Mediacorp show sees both the blogger and artiste prepare dishes based on the blogger’s recipe.

Through dimsum.my, everyone can have unlimited access to good shows and movies for only RM15 fee a month. Toenjoy, go todimsum.my or download the dimsum app from Apple App Store or Google Play to register for an account. All new subscribers are entitled to 30 days free trial. For more information, visit ­dimsum.my, dimsum official Facebook ­(http://ift.tt/2fzPlvG) and Instagram (@dimsum.my).

Daniel Wu is set to join the reboot of Tomb Raider, the latest adaptation of the popular videogame, starring Alicia Vikander as the iconic character Lara Croft.

Warner Bros recently announced the movie – from Norwegian director Roar Uthaug – will be released on March 16, 2018. Wu will play Lu Ren, a ship captain who partners with Croft on a quest to find her father.

MGM joined the project in 2013, acquiring rights to the video game to develop the feature in partnership with Graham King’s GK Films. King, who obtained Tomb Raider in 2011 from Square Enix, will serve as producer. Cassie Lange is overseeing production for MGM and Niija Kuykendall is handling production for Warner Bros.

The original Tomb Raider videogame was released in 1996 by London-based Eidos Interactive, which is now part of Square Enix. Square Enix released a reboot in 2013 with a younger, 21-year-old Croft being sent off on her first big adventure amid amped-up action and set pieces.

Paramount’s two films starring Angelina Jolie as the British archaeologist were released in 2001 and 2003, and grossed a combined US$431mil worldwide.

Warner Bros will co-produce the Tomb Raider movie with MGM and GK Films.

Wu is the star of the martial arts series Into The Badlands, which returns to AMC for its second season this spring. – Reuters/Justin Kroll

Hugh Jackman spoke to Variety about retiring his claws as Wolverine in Logan, out this spring, and if he’d ever come back as the character.

You first met Ryan Reynolds when he played Wade Wilson in 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

Yeah, that’s where we became mates. He was about to get married to Scarlett (Johansson) at the time, and I was friends with Scarlett. It was like, “Hey dude, I’m checking you out.”

What was it like working with him on that film?

He wasn’t in the Deadpool costume in my movie. He was laying the groundwork. He came down to Australia. It was the writers’ strike (in Hollywood), so we couldn’t have a writer. Literally, the script would say things like, “Deadpool comes in, talking a mile a minute, very funny”. Uh, where’s the dialogue? We’d say: “Yeah man, do whatever you can”.

What did you think of Deadpool?

A couple things I knew about. I had to sign a waiver for my People magazine cover. The bit at the end with him kissing my face, I had no idea. I saw it with my son and about 15 of his mates. I never laughed so hard from the opening titles right through.

There’s been awards buzz for Ryan’s performance.

I’ve been out there campaigning. I think he should be nominated for everything. That stuff is not easy, when you know how much of it he wrote himself and created to keep that tone. Hats off to him.

A comic-book movie has never been nominated for the Oscar for best picture. Do you think that needs to change?

When I hosted the Oscars, Batman didn’t get nominated and everyone was talking about it. I think the genre is evolving. It’s a stretch to say these are injustices in life – we are happy and making movies. But I love it when someone like Ryan gets recognised. I loved it when Johnny Depp got recognised for Pirates Of The Caribbean. The word around Fox was if you’re doing anything with marketing Deadpool, you don’t call Ryan’s publicist. You call him direct. He was all over everything.

Would you ever do a spinoff Wolverine movie with Deadpool?

I’m hesitating, because I could totally see how that’s the perfect fit. But the timing may be wrong. I’m at the point where I’m finishing up. In terms of a theory, it’s a great idea.

How does it feel to finally retire Wolverine in Logan?

I’m really, really proud of this movie. I was really keen that I didn’t leave the party feeling like I could dance more. I think I’m pretty much danced out, and I had a great time. It’s been an unbelievable ride, but it feels right.

Did you keep a Wolverine suit?

I have one from every movie and the claws. I sell them for charity. Maybe I’ll keep one – occasionally, on a Saturday night, to dress up like Wolverine. – Reuters/Ramin Setoodeh

Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) serves up an intense cook-off in its new Chinese New Year short film.

Cooking Hustle sees three daughters-in-law each tasked by their mother-in-law to create a dish for the family’s reunion dinner.

The women busy themselves in the kitchen, some of them with kungfu-like cooking skills, before finally presenting the dishes to her. Did they manage to win her heart?

“This year, we wanted to create something truly memorable and would stand out in the landscape of Malaysian festive films. A cinematic experience that has a sense of scale and yet, still feels relatable.

“So we looked to family reunions, something that is so much a part of Chinese New Year and most festivities, and gave the familiar story a twist,” said TNB senior general manager (Corporate Affairs & Commu­nications) Datuk Mohd Aminuddin Mohd Amin.

“When we work together with family, there is no challenge that can’t be overcome and bright moments are made even better when everyone is together. This Chinese New Year campaign promotes unity and harmony just like our nation’s interconnected power grid.”

Within just 24 hours, Cooking Hustle drew more than one million views on the TNBCareline Facebook Page. Launched on Jan 17, the campaign will run for three weeks and is expected to gain around two million impressions.

Besides the short film, the public can take part in a fun online quiz, Mystery Dishes, where they answer a simple question to find out the mystery Chinese New Year dish by visiting betterbrighter.my.

With a film career spanning over half a century, Jackie Chan has seen and done it all.

So, when it came to making his latest movie, Kung Fu Yoga, director Stanley Tong decided to make him do something he had never done – put him in a car with a real-life lion.

“I was scared! Really scared! but the most important thing is to make the audience happy, and I knew that children love animals,” said Chan, 62. “I don’t know why he (Tong) loves shooting with animals so much! In The Myth, he made me shoot with a tiger for seven days!”

The scene in Kung Fu Yoga is part of a high-speed car chase sequence in Dubai in which Chan’s character “borrows” a car to pursue the bad guys, only to realise later that there is a lion in the back seat.

According to Tong, it took about a week to shoot the scenes with the lion.

Jackie Chan and Disha star in Kung Fu Yoga, which is a China-India collaboration.

“We first shot it in a cave, then with a green screen, then in the car. It’s hard to put a lion in the car! And once we put the lion in the car, it was really hard to put Jackie in the car!” Tong said with a laugh.

Chan and Tong were speaking at a press conference at The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur, where they were promoting the movie along with co-stars Bollywood actresses Disha Patani and Amyra Dastur, and Muqi Miya from China.

Distributed locally by GSC Movies, Kung Fu Yoga is a China-India collaboration that sees Chan reprising the role of archaeologist Jack Chan, whom he first played in The Myth in 2005.

Jack is approached by Kyra (Disha), a beautiful scientist from India, to go on a search for a lost treasure in Tibet. Tagging along are Jack’s research assistants Noumin (Miya Muqi) and Xiao Guang (Zhang Yixing), treasure hunter Jones (Aarif Rahman) and Kyra’s assistant Ashmita (Amyra Dastur). During the search, the team runs into the ruthless Randall (Sonu Sood), who will stop at nothing to get his hands on the treasure.

While it was not the first time Chan had worked with a Bollywood crew (he did so on The Myth), it was definitely a career high for Disha and Amyra to star alongside an international superstar.

Amyra recalled: “I didn’t believe my casting director at first – he gave us the script and it was in English and we usually do Hindi. He didn’t tell me anything else.

“One month later, I got a call, and was told I had auditioned for a Jackie Chan film and was selected, and now I have to go to China and train for it. I was like, ‘Wrong number, dude’.”

Disha was also equally surprised that she got the part. “I couldn’t believe I was shooting with Chan. The first day I was shooting with him, I was so star-struck – I was just staring at him!” she remembered.

According to Tong, making a Jackie Chan movie can be quite challenging because of the actor’s desire to come up with new and original ideas in every movie.

“It’s very difficult. Every movie, from Project A to Police Story … every single action sequence is different. He always has original ideas on how to do things,” said the director, who previously directed Chan in Police Story 3: Supercop (1992), Rumble In The Bronx (1995), Police Story 4: First Strike (1996) and The Myth.

“It’s not just about action – you have to put logic into the story. Why his character has to go to India, why they go to Iceland, why they have to swim underwater, why there is a car chase in Dubai … you need a reason for everything!” added Tong.

(From left) Mu Qimiya, Aarif Rahman,and Amyra Dastur in Kung Fu Yoga.

Speaking of filming in Iceland, co-star Aarif recently let slip in a Beijing press conference recently that Chan had to go for an emergency operation in London during the shoot after complaining of an excruciating pain in his abdomen.

A medical check-up revealed that he was suffering from rotten muscles and his intestines were out of alignment. After the operation, Chan immediately went back to Iceland to finish filming a scene in which he had to jump into a freezing lake.

It’s this sort of dedication to his work that was instrumental in Chan recently becoming the first Chinese actor to be awarded an honorary Oscar, which recognises his 56-year film career.

Chan said it was a great honour to be recognised that way. “The Oscar was not for what I did this year or last year … it’s for what I’ve done throughout the last 50-60 years. I’m what I call a ‘cheap action comedy star’, and actors like me would never get an Oscar! But I’ve risked my life to do my stunts, and to entertain my audiences all over the world,” he said.

According to Chan, his philosophy for making movies these days is to make those that can be enjoyed by fans of all ages, especially children.

“A long time ago, when I made movies like Drunken Master, Snake In The Eagle’s Shadow, we had a lot of nasty action moves and dirty jokes … because it was easy to make audiences laugh with dirty jokes!” he lamented.

He later realised that children were copying his actions; even in Africa, children were greeting him with the Drunken Master stance. His friends also started telling him that although they loved his movies, some of them were too violent, and that they would not let their children watch them.

“I knew I had to correct this, because so many children were learning from me. If I make a movie, I want my children to see it, and also other children as well. So I started to correct myself.

“In Drunken Master, I was fighting and drinking, so I had to make Drunken Master II to teach people NOT to drink and not to fight.”

He also started to make sure his writers, directors and producers practised the same philosophy.

“We have a responsibility to society and the world, because there are just so many violent things around, and that’s enough. So making family movies is very important to me.”

Jackie plays a professor of archaeology on a quest to find a lost Indian treasure when his team is ambushed by mercenaries. But using his knowledge of history and kung fu, Professor Jack leads his team on a race around the world to beat the villains to the artefact and save an ancient culture.

The movie comes 25 years after Jackie and Stanley’s first box-office hit Police Story 3: Super Cop. Stanley last directed Jackie in The Myth in 2005, so we caught up with them – and some of the cast of Kung Fu Yoga– on their stopover in Kuala Lumpur for their latest collaboration.

In this Features Central Exclusive video, Star2 chief reporter and movie reviewer Michael Cheang asks Jackie about working with wild animals, his greatest memory of filming in Malaysia back in 1992, and why he’s against “nasty action” and “bad violence” in movies aimed at kids.

However, SBS released a statement today that the show will not be cancelled after all, and that Kim and Song will continue to be part of Running Man.

The following is an excerpt from the statement:

“Running Man will continue to air with all the members in place!!

“Due to the overwhelming sadness of fans in and outside of Korea over the end of Running Man, SBS and the six members have decided to continue the series.

“SBS Chief of Headquarters Nam Seung Yong, who originally created the show Running Man in 2010, has been meeting with the members since the beginning of the year.

“Through these conversations, he apologised to the members over and over again regarding the incidents that happened during the re-formatting of the show, and the six members agreed to stay on the show.”

Nam also released a separate statement, revealing that it was a very difficult decision to carry on with the show:

“I sincerely thank the members who made the difficult decision to stay on the show. In order to repay the fans who loved and supported Running Man for the last seven years, we will do our best to make Running Man even more enjoyable than it has been.”